


The Language of Flowers

by KitsJay



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: F/M, Florist AU, Fluff, M/M, kinkmeme fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 11:08:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17806874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitsJay/pseuds/KitsJay
Summary: Monroe is a florist. He sees Nick's life, as told in flowers.





	The Language of Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Originally filled at the Grimm kinkmeme.

_Cornflower, apple blossom, and a spray of Queen Anne's lace_

He looked hapless. It was endearing, in a way, and Monroe watched him with unrestrained glee as he sniffed one of the lilies and sneezed, sending a spray of pollen up and coating his nose in a fine white powder. Monroe rested his chin on his hands, watching the man try to surreptitiously rub his nose before turning to the roses with a contemplative look.

"Can I help you?" he finally said.

The man jumped, as if he were unaware of the presence of the flower shop owner standing behind the counter. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Um, I'm trying to get something for a girl."

Monroe restrained himself from rolling his eyes, barely. "Okay. Girlfriend?"

"No," the man said, shaking his head. "Um, first date."

"Ah." Monroe guided him away from the roses--on a first date? Much too serious, he thought with a snort--to the plainer, yet somehow more beautiful flowers to the left of the store. He pulled out some cornflowers, still delicately blue, apple blossoms pink at the edges, and a spray of Queen Anne's lace to round out the bouquet.

"Here you go," he said, wrapping them smartly and efficiently in green wax paper and tying them off at the ends with a rubber band. He rang up the charges, noting idly the man's name. Nick Burkhardt. He handed the card back. Nick was about to leave when Monroe snapped his fingers. "Wait."

He paused while Monroe plucked a Stephanotis out and slipped it into his bouquet. He took a step back. "For good luck."

Nick smiled at him, his gray eyes flashing gratefully, before he disappeared out the door in a jingle of tiny bells.

_Gardenia, hibiscus, and lilac_

It was Tuesday, nearly six months later, when Nick wandered into his shop again. Monroe perked and watched as he shuffled uncertainly.

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Um, hi, I'm looking for an anniversary bouquet," Nick said.

"How long?"

Nick blinked at him and Monroe elaborated, "How long have you two been together?"

"Six months."

"Ah."

Monroe dodged down the aisles of colorful blooms, pulling out a white gardenia, still perfuming the air with its sweet, musky scent. Toward the back were the lilacs, delicate shades of purple and fragile blooms still standing cheerfully. He grabbed a few stems and added them to his handful before searching for the final touch: a hibiscus, gaudily showing off her joy with bright colors. One of them had been cut too early, not quite the vibrant colors of the others, and he arranged it so that it was in the center, surrounded by the soft purple and pure whiteness.

"This will do," he said, allowing Nick to trail after him awkwardly to the counter.

"No last minute flower this time?" Nick asked with a smile.

"Not this time," he said as he rang it up.

It was the second time he had seen the man disappear to the merry jingle of his door bells, and the second time he had been arrested by gray eyes and a bright smile.

_Holly, pink tulip, aster, and Cosmos_

"Are you sure?" Nick said doubtfully, eyeing the bouquet in Monroe's hands. He reached out to stroke the petal of the cosmos flower, but Monroe pulled it out of reaching range just in time. "It just seems a little loud for a one-year anniversary."

"Trust me," Monroe said. He stared at the bouquet. It was missing something. He had a finely tuned eye for arrangements, prided himself on each leaf and petal lying against each other in a masterful, all too short-lived, echo of beauty. He snapped. "Hang on."

He added a rhododendron to the mix, a strange feeling blooming in his chest. It looked right, but... He shook the feeling off and forced a smile.

"Here you go."

"Thanks," Nick said with a grin.

"Not a problem. Where are you planning on taking her?"

"She loves this Greek restaurant down the street, so I got reservations for just us. Candlelit dinner, then a walk in the park, then go home and curl up on the couch to watch her favorite movies."

"Sounds nice," Monroe said, a trace of wistfulness in his voice.

Nick was oblivious, too afloat on promised dreams to notice. "It will be. It's going to be perfect."

_A white tulip, amaryllis, hyacinth, hydrangea, and geranium_

When Monroe presented him with the mass of flowers, Nick didn't even falter. His eyes were red-rimmed, from lack of sleep or crying, Monroe shied from guessing, and he nodded dully while pulling out his wallet. Monroe carefully did not make eye contact with him, seeing the apology written all over the flowers' ignorant faces.

Things weren't good in paradise, and as he watched the man leave, Monroe thought sadly that even flowers probably would not mend the trouble. It was none of his business--he had seen men and women alike come and go, some full of promise and hope, others begging for forgiveness, but he never saw more than that. Occasionally one of those who came in asking for a 'forgive-me-bouquet' came in again, but not often.

_A poppy, a red tulip, a yellow Chrysanthemum, and a Star of Bethlehem_

Monroe wondered, not for the first time, if this was the right thing to do. Nick had left his wallet when he left, too much in a daze even to notice, and Monroe had run out to catch him when he had caught sight of a pretty redheaded woman, arms crossed over her chest and shaking her head sadly as Nick had tried to give her the bundle of flowers. Her body language was apologetic and sad, but stern. She had rebuffed his advances and left, leaving Nick standing on the sidewalk. He had looked lost for a moment, then his eyes had shuttered closed, and he had dumped the flowers in a trash can.

Now, standing on the man's front porch with an offering of a bouquet and a wallet, he regretted not just giving it to the man then. It hadn't seemed right, intruding on that moment of desperation and sadness.

His mind was made up to call the man later and ask him to swing by the shop to pick it up when the door opened, revealing Nick standing in sweatpants and a worn t-shirt.

"Um, hi," Nick said uncertainly. He pointed to Monroe. "The flower shop guy. Monroe, right?"

"Yes," Monroe said. "You left your wallet there this morning."

"Oh, thanks," Nick said, genuinely appreciative. He seemed to notice the bouquet of flowers dangling in Monroe's hand. "Going out tonight?"

"Actually," Monroe faltered, shored himself up and continued, "these are for you."

Nick blinked. "Oh. Um, thanks, but my girlfriend and I... we kind of split up."

"I know," Monroe said, fidgeting uncomfortably. He winced apologetically. "I saw. These are... think of them as an 'I'm sorry.' "

"Oh, thank you," Nick took the flowers tentatively. He smiled and Monroe was about to walk away and curse himself for being the fool, when Nick took a step back. "Do you--would you like to come in? I should put these in water."

The flowers, the red poppy with the black eye, the bright red tulip spreading its lips in bloom, the yellow Chryanthemum overbursting with its abundance of thin petals, and the Star of Bethlehem, tiny flowers each a measure of perfection, beckoned him.

"I'd love to."

**Author's Note:**

> The meanings of the flowers:
> 
> Cornflower: Anticipation  
> Apple blossom: Promise  
> Queen Anne's lace: Delicate femininity  
> Stephanotis: Good luck
> 
> Gardenia: Joy  
> Hibiscus: Delicate beauty  
> Lilac: First love
> 
> Holly: Domestic bliss  
> Pink Tulip: Caring  
> Aster: Contentment  
> Cosmos: Peaceful  
> Rhododendron: Beware
> 
> White tulip: Forgiveness  
> Amaryllis: Dramatic  
> Hyacinth: Sincerity  
> Hydrangea: Perseverance  
> Geranium:
> 
> Poppy: Consolation  
> Red tulip: Declaration of love  
> Yellow Chrysanthemum: Secret admirer  
> Star of Bethlehem: Hope


End file.
